Research at the USDA-ARS
Soil and Water Conservation research lab in Florence, SC, in
1985, done by Michael J. Kasperbauer and Patrick G. Hunt
found that growing staked tomatoes on red plastic mulch
increased yields up to 20 %. This is due to the wavelength
of red light reflect back up to the plants foliage. The
increase can be attributed to the plants phytochrome system.
For more information, see my proposed Honors
Research Project.